I am finally catching up on my reading. It’s always a pleasant surprise to wake up to my morning tea and read your work Deborah.
My brother lived like you describe. A beautiful house with an amazing swimming pool he help build himself on a gorgeous hill overlooking the ocean with oak trees all around him. Something made him extremely unhappy. Probably after he finished his project and didn’t give him the joy he had expected. I think creating it was his whole life. Anyway, as you know he took his life.
Right now I am experiencing a time of cognitive dissonance; questioning the narrative were given about the Gilded Age. At the end of the century, and at the turn of the century is when world fairs were extremely popular. They would build these beautiful amazing structures at a time when they were no power tools and only horse and buggies was a means of transportation. When the fares were over, they would destroy the buildings. Take a look around you at all buildings. The old world. How did they get there? That’s what’s going through my mind right now.
Demi from The Starfire Codes talks about this a lot. It’s a mystery.
Thank you so much for reading this! I think we were both enjoying a cuppa this morning over our stories! I absolutely love reading yours.
I am so sorry your brother struggled with all that beauty and desire for things and suffered inside. We never know what makes one want to leave the earth and I do know that depression and mental illness lies heavily over many. I was very depressed in 2020 and I can say I cannot judge that in others.
This New Gilded Era we are in is definitely a Gilded Era 5.0. The desire and want to keep up, be seen, go into mass amounts of debt - can lead to the absolute death of the spirit. I don't think God can find us when we are caught up in the worldly things to the point that we are chasing it hard and living lies. I am with you on this cognitive dissonance too. Why were these amazing structures built and torn down. Why was happiness built and destroyed? and how did they do it. Extremely magical. Amazing. Like God came and went. The old world speaks to our hearts deeply. My first story. The stepping stones of unknown souls, laying their lives down for us to pursue whatever dreams we have. I loved that piece from Demi :)
Thank you again friend! I love history. I told Julie and Joan, here in comments, that we decided to take on a mini-series. It's been awhile and we enjoy watching one here and there. I picked Hotel Portofino. Visually stunning, after WW1, this tiny enclave in Italy and here comes Mussolini and the Fascists. Hummm... here we go again! oxox
I did not know that about your brother… my heart goes out to you, dear friend. 💜🙏 Deb’s post here is a lot to consider about wealth and mental health. She puts so much into it, it really is a cognive exercise! 😀
What a researcher you are…and historian like Heather Cox Richardson! I was not aware of some of this even as a history major. The background, the financial data, social climbing… all of this comes tumbling down when it can’t hold strong, no more self-respect, no way out left! You have woven this into suicide, yes… but the deeper meaning I get is the need/greed! Why being all fancy-like is so important to a segment of society. Why it shows today with everything revolved about money…no matter how you get it! 😠😡 But no substance as Julie says, no integrity. I may be naive but I don’t think money makes for happiness. There’s a difference between being well-off and being super rich, always seeking greater wealth! I get what you’re feeling, saying, dear Deb… just can’t find the right words. This is wondeful writing, I’m awed you have the drive and time to explore this….and still play in the park with the kiddos! 😀☺️
Well done and such a necessary read, my friend! Brilliant work! ❤️🥰
Dear Joan! You are so kind and generous to me! Thank you so much! I am so blessed by your comment. I do love history. How this whole thing started with a headline? then a song. I honestly don't know how things come together. I do believe that God has me running for the keys and that He has a plan for me to keep going. I will often look back and wonder how on earth I wrote that. It's an outer body experience that I have only had with my photography. I'm all in and feeling very lead. Seems we are always re-living history and, like I said to Julie, we have to realize that to be grounded in what's important. The letting go and letting ourselves love, be kind, seek joy, etc. This is what we can control. "What He came for, what we came for" - as Lauren Daigle says! Today, in church, I was reminded that when we get to knock on that heavenly door, we have to understand that even the most ugly, most sinful, might be in heaven with us. That we are are all broken here on earth and that He pursues us for His good. We should be praying for everyone. Even those we consider monsters among us (how do we do that? right??) - and for those poor souls who took their lives or sought too many possessions? The list goes on. It's so humbling. With Him we can tap into what our job is. I feel like we complain (me too!) so much about the world we are living in (or grumble under our breath and judge others) - but it's constantly repeating. This is why history fascinates me. Just when you think?? I told Julie we decided we needed another mini-series to binge. It's been awhile. So I picked Hotel Portofino. Oh my gosh. Within the stunningly beautiful Downton Abbey style visuals, in a tiny enclave of Italy, after WW1, comes Mussolini and the Fascists. Over and over history repeats. And, on a side-note, so does fashion! lol.
Yes, God clearly found a perfect writer in you! 😊💕And I agree how fascinating history is… it repeats and do we learn! I watched First Man last night…about Neil Armstrong on moon…same bitching and politics during those years too…but we did it! portofino didn’t grab me but I’ll give it another try! Love you bunches, dear friend!!❤️🥰
Awe, thank you so much friend. He has got me very into it!! ha ha! Oh, I heard of First Man - John would love that! But, yes, all the same crap going on! I linked another fun piece of history, during the building of the Brooklyn Bridge, and into the Gilded Age, at the bottom of this story and it's amazing that the bridges were built there was so much political corruption. Some things never change. It's why I have no trust these days for politics. Oh, and regarding Hotel Portofino - I am a big fan of the 1920's style - so I visually loved Downton Abbey and saw Portofino and thought how fun - It's quite good - but I think you have to be into the period piece. Mom and I can't get enough. When I married John I wore a 1920's style dress! Mom stood up for me and wore one too :) I find myself staring at all the details of this show and then the politics show up and I'm like "what is happening?" It's subtle. It shows how things can change before you even know it. And if you are suspect to corruption, black mail, etc. - how you can be snuffed out fast. Scary. oxox
‘The new gilded age’, the coating like gold leaf. Where is the substance, eh? Yes virtue signalling has also taken this to a new level. Great piece, Deborah.
Right? I think looking at history is so important for remaining grounded (and seeking/spreading joy, kindness, love, as you do so well). When I read that headline (it wasn’t the first time) - it just struck me so hard that this is the New Gilded Age - then I began to research and it’s been written. Are we? What is this era? - but it’s nothing new eh? Like you say, it’s always at a heightened level. Knowing things have to get worse before they are better is never a fun thought - we just have to stay the course of the most important. To be fearless to stand on truth and do the thing we strive to do. To love and be grateful. Thank you friend. Hope you enjoyed your weekend! ox
Yes every empire has its peak and fall. We’ve definitely peaked. It’s a shame we have to mimic the decline of past civilisations, with all the knowledge and cellular wisdom…..but it sadly seems we must. Still here we are, born to be here living in these ground breaking times. They’re meant for our warrior hearts x
Deborah this is brilliant. I have learned much and had much more confirmed. We are living in an age that’s so rotten beneath the glittering surface that we won’t know how to heal until the rot has been removed. And it feels like those days are coming. I pray there are not many more tragic innocents caught up in the process.
Oh thank you so much for reading this friend! It was awhile back when I wrote it ☺️ Researching history shows us how nothing changes really. Packaged differently, but always the same rot under the surface. Sad really 😔
I get fascinated with history. Recently, we watched a PBS epic (especially for the period of fashion and design) show called Portofino. Lots of drama. But it takes place after WW1 in Italy, where there is great wealth (Socialists) and then there's the Fascist movement of Mussolini subtly taking over the wealth. Another wild period I've been researching 😮
Wonderful piece on the gilding we strive for, Deb. The desire and pursuit of owning things/ acquiring gilding can trap a person in a miserable cycle of want and debt. It is hard to be grounded in a consumer society full of gilded, sparkling things. Thank you, Deb, this was very thought provoking and well researched.
Thank you so much Jenn! It's incredible to know that history always repeats and we never learn. Guess God knew this would happen. Therefore we constantly have to reach for Him so that we don't get trapped in the gilding. It's how Satan works. Always packaged pretty and sparkly and underneath is a rot. But. It's how God works. He makes us work. Can't live on earth without learning over and over again. oxox
Deborah, I commented more in my restack. Now I am pausing to think about how you and Charlotte integrate history into your writing, and then I realized that many of us here do. Yet it is not something I am accustomed to, and how natural and refreshing it is. And wondering if there is a connection between the freedom we experience on Substack versus the mysterious algorithms in other places? Could those other places have fear and vested interest in us not making connections, finding patterns, repeats from history, and drawing reasonable conclusions? Fascinating. Regardless I love this Substack family. Great piece.
Michael! I’ve had a busy day and just now getting around to answering this! I was falling asleep last night and so excited to see your comments. YESSS I am with you on this. I also wonder? if we are writing from the heart in such a way that is maybe fooling the algorithms? Such a fascinating thought. I absolutely believe, by design, other areas of social media are more shallow and less about this type of expression. I pray every day that Substack and the community I love here, like you, stays healthy and protected. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading and leaving me your thoughts. oxox
What a thought provoking, well researched literary piece you provided here, Debbie, your best yet! It triggered so many thoughts about the situations we breeze through in life and take for granted, without going any deeper into the whys and wherefores of what happened and what could have been done to avoid or improve the results. Maybe there is a reluctance to get involved. "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread" - Alexander Pope.
Mama! Thank you so much! I told you I wasn't writing on Thursday, but I was doing some research! ha ha! Then I began to piece it all together Friday and a good chunk of Saturday. I also mentioned to you and Adam we are watching Hotel Portofino - and it's continual history repeating itself. Very Downton Abbey in it's visual, after WW1, with Mussolini and the Fascists entering the scene. It's fascinating to learn we are never really living in "new" times - just repackaged or amped-up times. I do believe the social media apps have been more devastating to people. But. Humans aren't different in terms of what tempts them. You're right about "fools rush in..." It's hard to get into the mind of the spiritually dead or corrupt. Satan is so good at his job. Yet they have every opportunity, in the end, like us, to sit in heaven. We are all capable of falling short of the goodness of God and hearing His voice. Yet if we listen when He calls, He will pursue us. My heart breaks for anyone that takes their life so seemingly unnecessarily :(
I am finally catching up on my reading. It’s always a pleasant surprise to wake up to my morning tea and read your work Deborah.
My brother lived like you describe. A beautiful house with an amazing swimming pool he help build himself on a gorgeous hill overlooking the ocean with oak trees all around him. Something made him extremely unhappy. Probably after he finished his project and didn’t give him the joy he had expected. I think creating it was his whole life. Anyway, as you know he took his life.
Right now I am experiencing a time of cognitive dissonance; questioning the narrative were given about the Gilded Age. At the end of the century, and at the turn of the century is when world fairs were extremely popular. They would build these beautiful amazing structures at a time when they were no power tools and only horse and buggies was a means of transportation. When the fares were over, they would destroy the buildings. Take a look around you at all buildings. The old world. How did they get there? That’s what’s going through my mind right now.
Demi from The Starfire Codes talks about this a lot. It’s a mystery.
Dear Charlotte,
Thank you so much for reading this! I think we were both enjoying a cuppa this morning over our stories! I absolutely love reading yours.
I am so sorry your brother struggled with all that beauty and desire for things and suffered inside. We never know what makes one want to leave the earth and I do know that depression and mental illness lies heavily over many. I was very depressed in 2020 and I can say I cannot judge that in others.
This New Gilded Era we are in is definitely a Gilded Era 5.0. The desire and want to keep up, be seen, go into mass amounts of debt - can lead to the absolute death of the spirit. I don't think God can find us when we are caught up in the worldly things to the point that we are chasing it hard and living lies. I am with you on this cognitive dissonance too. Why were these amazing structures built and torn down. Why was happiness built and destroyed? and how did they do it. Extremely magical. Amazing. Like God came and went. The old world speaks to our hearts deeply. My first story. The stepping stones of unknown souls, laying their lives down for us to pursue whatever dreams we have. I loved that piece from Demi :)
Thank you again friend! I love history. I told Julie and Joan, here in comments, that we decided to take on a mini-series. It's been awhile and we enjoy watching one here and there. I picked Hotel Portofino. Visually stunning, after WW1, this tiny enclave in Italy and here comes Mussolini and the Fascists. Hummm... here we go again! oxox
I did not know that about your brother… my heart goes out to you, dear friend. 💜🙏 Deb’s post here is a lot to consider about wealth and mental health. She puts so much into it, it really is a cognive exercise! 😀
I love you Joan. oxox
What a researcher you are…and historian like Heather Cox Richardson! I was not aware of some of this even as a history major. The background, the financial data, social climbing… all of this comes tumbling down when it can’t hold strong, no more self-respect, no way out left! You have woven this into suicide, yes… but the deeper meaning I get is the need/greed! Why being all fancy-like is so important to a segment of society. Why it shows today with everything revolved about money…no matter how you get it! 😠😡 But no substance as Julie says, no integrity. I may be naive but I don’t think money makes for happiness. There’s a difference between being well-off and being super rich, always seeking greater wealth! I get what you’re feeling, saying, dear Deb… just can’t find the right words. This is wondeful writing, I’m awed you have the drive and time to explore this….and still play in the park with the kiddos! 😀☺️
Well done and such a necessary read, my friend! Brilliant work! ❤️🥰
Dear Joan! You are so kind and generous to me! Thank you so much! I am so blessed by your comment. I do love history. How this whole thing started with a headline? then a song. I honestly don't know how things come together. I do believe that God has me running for the keys and that He has a plan for me to keep going. I will often look back and wonder how on earth I wrote that. It's an outer body experience that I have only had with my photography. I'm all in and feeling very lead. Seems we are always re-living history and, like I said to Julie, we have to realize that to be grounded in what's important. The letting go and letting ourselves love, be kind, seek joy, etc. This is what we can control. "What He came for, what we came for" - as Lauren Daigle says! Today, in church, I was reminded that when we get to knock on that heavenly door, we have to understand that even the most ugly, most sinful, might be in heaven with us. That we are are all broken here on earth and that He pursues us for His good. We should be praying for everyone. Even those we consider monsters among us (how do we do that? right??) - and for those poor souls who took their lives or sought too many possessions? The list goes on. It's so humbling. With Him we can tap into what our job is. I feel like we complain (me too!) so much about the world we are living in (or grumble under our breath and judge others) - but it's constantly repeating. This is why history fascinates me. Just when you think?? I told Julie we decided we needed another mini-series to binge. It's been awhile. So I picked Hotel Portofino. Oh my gosh. Within the stunningly beautiful Downton Abbey style visuals, in a tiny enclave of Italy, after WW1, comes Mussolini and the Fascists. Over and over history repeats. And, on a side-note, so does fashion! lol.
Love you friend! Thank you so much again! oxox
Yes, God clearly found a perfect writer in you! 😊💕And I agree how fascinating history is… it repeats and do we learn! I watched First Man last night…about Neil Armstrong on moon…same bitching and politics during those years too…but we did it! portofino didn’t grab me but I’ll give it another try! Love you bunches, dear friend!!❤️🥰
Awe, thank you so much friend. He has got me very into it!! ha ha! Oh, I heard of First Man - John would love that! But, yes, all the same crap going on! I linked another fun piece of history, during the building of the Brooklyn Bridge, and into the Gilded Age, at the bottom of this story and it's amazing that the bridges were built there was so much political corruption. Some things never change. It's why I have no trust these days for politics. Oh, and regarding Hotel Portofino - I am a big fan of the 1920's style - so I visually loved Downton Abbey and saw Portofino and thought how fun - It's quite good - but I think you have to be into the period piece. Mom and I can't get enough. When I married John I wore a 1920's style dress! Mom stood up for me and wore one too :) I find myself staring at all the details of this show and then the politics show up and I'm like "what is happening?" It's subtle. It shows how things can change before you even know it. And if you are suspect to corruption, black mail, etc. - how you can be snuffed out fast. Scary. oxox
I loved Downton Abby so this one should appeal too! Let you know! 😉
Yes, let me know!! ox
This speaks to me deeply.
‘The new gilded age’, the coating like gold leaf. Where is the substance, eh? Yes virtue signalling has also taken this to a new level. Great piece, Deborah.
Right? I think looking at history is so important for remaining grounded (and seeking/spreading joy, kindness, love, as you do so well). When I read that headline (it wasn’t the first time) - it just struck me so hard that this is the New Gilded Age - then I began to research and it’s been written. Are we? What is this era? - but it’s nothing new eh? Like you say, it’s always at a heightened level. Knowing things have to get worse before they are better is never a fun thought - we just have to stay the course of the most important. To be fearless to stand on truth and do the thing we strive to do. To love and be grateful. Thank you friend. Hope you enjoyed your weekend! ox
Yes every empire has its peak and fall. We’ve definitely peaked. It’s a shame we have to mimic the decline of past civilisations, with all the knowledge and cellular wisdom…..but it sadly seems we must. Still here we are, born to be here living in these ground breaking times. They’re meant for our warrior hearts x
We are definitely here for a reason. This is what we came for. To fight the good fight. ox
Saving this to read in the morning! I’m falling 😴💤
So funny friend! I was reading your latest last night and said to myself - I need to wake up and give this my full attention! I had heavy eyes too! ox
Deborah this is brilliant. I have learned much and had much more confirmed. We are living in an age that’s so rotten beneath the glittering surface that we won’t know how to heal until the rot has been removed. And it feels like those days are coming. I pray there are not many more tragic innocents caught up in the process.
Oh thank you so much for reading this friend! It was awhile back when I wrote it ☺️ Researching history shows us how nothing changes really. Packaged differently, but always the same rot under the surface. Sad really 😔
I get fascinated with history. Recently, we watched a PBS epic (especially for the period of fashion and design) show called Portofino. Lots of drama. But it takes place after WW1 in Italy, where there is great wealth (Socialists) and then there's the Fascist movement of Mussolini subtly taking over the wealth. Another wild period I've been researching 😮
That sounds interesting
Wonderful piece on the gilding we strive for, Deb. The desire and pursuit of owning things/ acquiring gilding can trap a person in a miserable cycle of want and debt. It is hard to be grounded in a consumer society full of gilded, sparkling things. Thank you, Deb, this was very thought provoking and well researched.
Thank you so much Jenn! It's incredible to know that history always repeats and we never learn. Guess God knew this would happen. Therefore we constantly have to reach for Him so that we don't get trapped in the gilding. It's how Satan works. Always packaged pretty and sparkly and underneath is a rot. But. It's how God works. He makes us work. Can't live on earth without learning over and over again. oxox
You are so right. Nothing is new under the sun; God knows the world…two of my favorite maxims.
Deborah, I commented more in my restack. Now I am pausing to think about how you and Charlotte integrate history into your writing, and then I realized that many of us here do. Yet it is not something I am accustomed to, and how natural and refreshing it is. And wondering if there is a connection between the freedom we experience on Substack versus the mysterious algorithms in other places? Could those other places have fear and vested interest in us not making connections, finding patterns, repeats from history, and drawing reasonable conclusions? Fascinating. Regardless I love this Substack family. Great piece.
Michael! I’ve had a busy day and just now getting around to answering this! I was falling asleep last night and so excited to see your comments. YESSS I am with you on this. I also wonder? if we are writing from the heart in such a way that is maybe fooling the algorithms? Such a fascinating thought. I absolutely believe, by design, other areas of social media are more shallow and less about this type of expression. I pray every day that Substack and the community I love here, like you, stays healthy and protected. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading and leaving me your thoughts. oxox
What a thought provoking, well researched literary piece you provided here, Debbie, your best yet! It triggered so many thoughts about the situations we breeze through in life and take for granted, without going any deeper into the whys and wherefores of what happened and what could have been done to avoid or improve the results. Maybe there is a reluctance to get involved. "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread" - Alexander Pope.
Mama! Thank you so much! I told you I wasn't writing on Thursday, but I was doing some research! ha ha! Then I began to piece it all together Friday and a good chunk of Saturday. I also mentioned to you and Adam we are watching Hotel Portofino - and it's continual history repeating itself. Very Downton Abbey in it's visual, after WW1, with Mussolini and the Fascists entering the scene. It's fascinating to learn we are never really living in "new" times - just repackaged or amped-up times. I do believe the social media apps have been more devastating to people. But. Humans aren't different in terms of what tempts them. You're right about "fools rush in..." It's hard to get into the mind of the spiritually dead or corrupt. Satan is so good at his job. Yet they have every opportunity, in the end, like us, to sit in heaven. We are all capable of falling short of the goodness of God and hearing His voice. Yet if we listen when He calls, He will pursue us. My heart breaks for anyone that takes their life so seemingly unnecessarily :(
I love you mom.
Thank you for listening to this. oxoxox